Why did Charles lose the first civil war? Flashcards
What were the four main reasons Charles’ loss in the first civil war
- Effectiveness of the New Model Army
- Leadership
- Resources
- Battle of Naseby
How did the New Model army contribute to the loss of Charles in the first civil war
-The New model army defied the traditional war
procedures that had been used for Centuries.
- Paid soldiers, the ending of social structures in the
army and the use of light cavalry were only some of the
fundamental changes made
- It converted the previously weak parliamentary force
into an extremely strong, organised and disciplined
fighting force
- Led to the ultimate destruction of the Royalist forces in
the battle of Naseby, tactics were used that the
Royalists simply did not expect
What was the New Model army
- The amalgamation of three forces
- Under the leadership and command of Oliver Cromwell
in 1645
-Paid soldiers, the ending of social structures in the
army and the use of light cavalry were some of the
fundamental changes made
-The army was religiously led. It was not
uncommon for psalms to be sung before battle adding
to the morale and ferocity of the soldiers in as they
believed god was on their side - picked for the army based on military performance
rather than social status
How did the Battle of Naseby in 1645 contribute to Charles’ loss
- The battle effectively ended the war, although fighting
did continue for a year on afterwards a realistic chance
of a Royalist recovery was over - The battle was the first demonstration of the power of
the New Model army, - The victory opened the way to the west and the New
Model army then went on to victory at Langport,
Somerset and to capture Bristol - Secondly when Charles fled he abandoned his coach
and baggage - This revealed his close contacts with Catholics in
Ireland and mainland Europe, powerful propaganda for
the parliamentarians
How did resources help contribute to the parliament victory
- Parliament controlled London, this allowed them to tax
the large population and take loans out - it was where
all the major banks were situated - Parliament also had access to all major ports and the
Navy, giving them significant leverage in terms of
power over the Royalists - Charles was confined to the rural areas of the North
and had to rely largely on donations from his
sympathizers. - Although these were often fairly large sums, Charles
was basing his military capabilities off an unreliable
money source. Weakened his position immediately.
How did the disparity in effective leadership effect the outcome of the war
- Cromwell was a natural military genius Military
decisions by him made were decisive and fast. - Cromwell, with the formation of the New Model army
ensured that his army was ideologically driven and
maintained high morale. The godly preaching of its
chaplains, its Bible study and prayer meetings all
helped forge spirit. - He was tactically clever, e.g Battle of Naseby, returned
the cavalry back until battle with devastating effects
and attacked royalist troops while they were eating - Charles remained sluggish and reluctant throughout
the war. - He failed to provide the inspiring leadership at the
worst points in the war - He had poor battle tactics, e.g demanded he face off
the New Model Army at Naseby despite being vastly
outnumbered two to one - The royalists fought courageously and sometimes
effectively e.g. Prince Rupert taking Bristol in 1643, but
they never developed the necessary organisation and
discipline to fight a successful, and sustained war.
Who was Oliver Cromwell and how did he emerge into the power scene
- Cromwell’s distinguishing character throughout his life
was the intensity of his religious faith - During the 1930s, Cromwell concluded that the royal
government of the 1630s was corrupt and ungodly - Having previously served only as a backbench MP
during the parliamentary struggle of 1640-42 he took up
parliaments cause as a soldier - It was here Cromwell found he possessed remarkable
gifts as a commander - His first great achievement was to transform his local
Eastern Association into the New Model Army
What was the significance of controlling London
Continued possession of London throughout the war was an important factor in maintaining Parliament’s morale and dispiriting the royalists
As a source of food, weapons and transport, it was unmatched by any other town or city.
London also provided Parliament with effective control over the Navy.
80% of the factories and workshops that produced the weapons and clothing of war were situated in London
